NLC Urges FG To Recall Resident Doctors

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the Federal Government to reverse the recent mass dismissal of resident medical doctors in federal hospitals across the country.

A statement the President of the Union, Comrade Abdulwahed Omar described the dismissal as ill-advised, demanding its reversal because of prevailing health challenges.

According to comrade Omar: “What the country needs urgently is recruitment of more health professionals, well equipped public hospitals, and a well organized health system capable of responding to the health concerns of our growing population and not sacking of any category of health personnel.”

He added that, the Union believes the Federal Government was misadvised and also misled into carrying out this action.

“It is clearly unwarranted to sack doctors just as we are collectively faced with the challenge of the Ebola Virus. It is even more dangerous to sack medical personnel in a country of over 170 million people with a ratio of one doctor to over five thousand patients,” Omar stated.

He tasked the federal government to carry out an urgent audit of the public health sector to determine the state of the sector in terms of equipment, personnel and funding.

Omar said while workers, and all Nigerians, are at great risk and require adequate protection, those in the medical sector should particularly be sufficiently equipped and given incentives to guarantee their safety and boost morale.

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No country can afford, specifically at these trying times, to neglect its health sector, including the personnel that work there,” the NLC statement said.